This year’s festival will feature two new events: a Po-Boy eating contest and a “Best of the Fest” people’s choice competition for top po-boy.

The Acadiana Po-Boy Festival returns to Parc Sans Souci in Downtown Lafayette for its second annual event on Saturday, April 1 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Last year’s inaugural event, which benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana, was overwhelming received by the people of Acadiana with attendance estimated by officials at 5,000.

Building on the success of last year, the 2017 Acadiana Po-Boy Festival, presented by Rouses Markets, The Advertiser and KLFY TV 10, will feature more than 25 poboy vendors, 20 arts and crafts vendors, five live bands and more.

Last year’s inaugural festival featured the record-breaking longest po-boy, which came in at 365 feet. In lieu of making an even longer poboy, this year’s festival will have two new events: a Po-Boy eating contest and a “Best of the Fest” people’s choice competition for top po-boy.

“This is our second year, and the Acadiana Po-boy Festival was originated for two main reasons: we want to keep Downtown Lafayette vibrant, and the second is because we love po-boys and we want to share the legacy of the po-boy to the community,” says Gus Rezende, one of the festival’s organizers and founders. “This festival was never intended to be a competition among po-boy vendors or poboy restaurants. This is actually to celebrate the legacy of the po-boy, so what people are going to see in the community is that we bring a variety of vendors.”

Additional sponsors include Tony Chachere’s & Langlinais Baking Company. There will be live music throughout the day from Zydeco Radio, Ray Boudreaux, Soul Express Brass Band, Louisiana Soul Revue and 337 Band. There will also be a Kids Tent at the festival grounds with activities for the younger po-boy eaters in attendance.

Proceeds from the Acadiana Po-boy Festival will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana, which has been reaching out to the youth of the local community for more than 30 years, serving at-risk children from primarily single parent homes.

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